Easter Bank Holiday? Not for the Essex Skills Team!
Monday evening, 7pm April 17th, saw over 50 attend Essex Skills Night.
Skills Coordinator Pete M0PSX had been successful in getting a particularly wide variety for the month
despite it being a Bank Holiday.

Thanks to all those who filled in a survey last month. We're pleased to report
that we're able to meet several of the requests this month
- thanks to supporters who've stepped forward as a result.

Skills is a great opportunity to get "hands-on" with aerials, datamodes, construction, our famous Quiz and more. A
variety of "show and tell" tables with something for the new and experienced Ham
alike. This is a FREE event and open to members, non-members and visitors - all
are welcome and there's tea/coffee, too!

Peter M0PSX giving an overview of the evenings activities

Activities for April included:

10GHz demo: Graham G8HAJ who joined us in November for a popular Hellschreiber demo,
returned with a 10GHz SSB setup. The Foundation licence deliberately has this band and a generous 1W power
limit (as there is plenty of antenna gain) to get experience at shorter wavelengths.
You can start with a simple low-cost 3cm receiver using a standard satellite LNB and an SDR dongle.
The kit in the photo has a higher performance popular
DB6NT transverter and interface board. Other items include home made 23cm circuits

Digital: The survey also asked for Digital Voice and Raspberry Pi.
So this month, Steve M0SHQ took a break from satellites to show us his personal
D-Star Hotspot running on a Raspberry Pi-3 via DV-Mega board with Blue Stack.

DFing: Two requests for this in Essex Ham's survey, and as a result,
Roy Emeny G4JAC returned with some DF kit to encourage some fresh air radio direction finding activity in 2017.
Roy had both top band DF beacons and receivers with him and has plenty of advice on hand at
www.forjac.co.uk/df/df.htm

DF receiver and beacons

Simulation: CARS Editor Steve G4GHO is soon to become DX.
For his final appearance at Skills, he ran a 'Getting started in simulation' session.
Nowadays several sophisticated programs are available to assist in circuit and antenna design
Examples that Steve had were drawn from LTSpice, QUCS, Microwave Office for circuits and MMana or 4NEC2 for antennas.

Essex CW Club: The CW club were present to promote and encourage the Morse mode.
The club is also canvassing interest in a proposed CW Bootcamp that would be in the autumn

A polished chrome Bencher ST-2 style single paddle keyer

Testing, Testing: Mike G4NVT brought an oscilloscope and spectrum analyser for
testing circuits, measuring frequency and filters. If you have anything you'd like tested, please bring it along in future.
This month, Mike built a Colpitts Oscillator and tested it on the night, using an Easter Egg box as a circuit substrate!

Easter Egg Colpitts Oscillator

Construction: Melvin 2E0DNS had been busy building a linear resistance meter and sine wave oscillator.
Alan M0IWZ brought his assembled SWR bridge (see last month for circuit). This uses an Arduino AD9850 synth and Ardiono-nano controller
to form a much cheaper combo than commercial products. And... 2m Slim Jims made a return as well

Alan M0IWZs SWR bridge based on Arduino boards - and DIY Slim Jim

Getting Started - and Inspired!: Advice and leaflets from Essex Ham, were on display
including details of the very successful online Foundation training course. Also running was
a Raspberry Pi Zero playing Essex Ham's latest video. We were also priviledged on the night to
have a youngster who had not only done Foundation, but
had gone on to complete all three levels! - George M0UKK from LEFARS

Balloon Tracking: EssexHam and Chris M6EDF had information on High Altitude Balloons (HAB).
These often use small 434 MHz modules for tracking and a lot of guidance for balloons
(inc NOTAM aviation permissions) is available from UKHAS - UK High Altitude Society

HAB - balloon tracking info

Callsign badges: Another regular, James 2E0JTW brought his machine for engraving badges and pens.
Dorothy M0LMR who runs the local YL net was having a new call badge engraved below:-

A new badge being engraved for Dorothy M0LMR

Skills Quiz: Chris G0IPU was unable to be quizmaster this month,
so Murray G6JYB stepped to pose the quiz questions. Radio-related items on Easter, Marconi Day and the Titanic were amongst
those topical for April

Our thanks to the various members of CARS, Essex RAYNET, Essex Repeater Group, Essex CW Club and Essex Ham who were
on hand to help with questions as well as David & Myra in the kitchen doing the tea/coffee and nibbles.